Rotary engine.



No. 874,775. PATBNTED DEC. 24, 1907- F. H. LATHROP.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24, 1905.

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No. 874,??5, PATENTBD-DEG. 24, 1907. F. H'. LATHROP.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24, 1905.

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.No. 74,775. PATENTED DEC. 24, 1907.

' F. H. LATHROP.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24', 1905.

5 sums-sum s.

F. H. LATHROP. ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 24, 1905.

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PATENTED DEC. 24, 1907.

F. H. LATHROP.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24. 1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MCCARTHY, OF cn oAoo, ILLINOIS.

ROTARY Enema.

Specifidationof Letters Patent.

Application filed March 24,4905. Serial No. 251,707-

Iatente'd .Dec. 24, '1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it-known that I, .FREDERICK; :LA-

THROP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented a new. and useful Improvement in Rotary'Engines; of .which the following isa specification.

My invention relates particularly to rotary engines adaptedto use gas or oil for motive pur oses.

y primary object is to'provide a. simple and durable engine of the character indicated capable of economical operation,

n he invention is illustrated in its.- referred embodiment in the accompanying awings, in which Figure 1 is an end elevational view of my im roved engine, the. admission and exhaust valves being shown in section, however; Fig. 2, a vertical section taken as indicated at line 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a transverse section taken as indicated at line 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4,-a horizontal section taken as indicated at line 4 of Fi 3; Fig. 5, .a broken vertical section talien as indicated at line 5 of Fig. 1, showing details of the admission valves; Fig. 6, a broken section-taken at line 6 of Fig. 1 and showing details of the exhaust valves; and Fig. 7, an enlargedbroken section taken as indicated at line 7 of F ig. 5.

.It .may be preliminarily stated that the drawings show an engine equipped with two annular chambers in which move piston members separated by an angle of 180, and that, as .the parts are timed in the construc-' tion illustrated,the following cycle of operations occurs at each half of the engine, though at different times, viz. .First, the charge is drawn in and air expelled; second,'the charge is compressed and air drawn'in; third, the charge is exploded and air expelled; and fourth; the roducts of combustionare expgelled and air drawn in to cool the cylinder;

uring the explosionat' one side of the engine compression occurs at the other side in the preferred arrangement.

In the construction shown, A represents an engine. casing which may be supported in any suitable manner, the casing comprising detaohably connected sections A A B, a

'rotary shaft having fixedly secured thereon disks B B mgiipgped, respectively, with piston members 3 4 movingin annular chambers B B, respectively C C, rocking valves which gas is admitte or abutments adapted to swing across the annular chambersandaflford, for the time being, stationary abutments against which the pressure can act; 0 .0 rods servingfto actuatethe members 0 C, said rodsbeing actuated by cams C C? can'ied-by'theshaft .B; D D, admission valves, controlled, re-

spectively, by cams -'D -D E E exhaust valves controlled, respectively, .by cams 'E E; F F, shafts serving toactuatethe cams D D E E F E, worm-wheels mounted on said shafts and actuatedby worms .Fwvith' which the,ends of. the shaft Bare equipped; and G G, portions of 'electriccircuits connected-with sparkingplugs G G, ofwellknown construction.

The frame .-and.casing-section Ais provided, with a chamber for-the valveC, and this chamber has .a removable top-sections; and the casin'gsection A. isprovidedwitha corresponding, chamber for the valve .0 which is equip ed with a removable. section a. The shaft is supported inboaringsa a and each casing section has anannular wall a which forms the innerwall of-the corresponding annular chamber. Sufiicient s ace is left. between the-walls-a to t e disks B Bttorotate freelymith. epistOnmember's with which they are e;d.

The casing is chambered -as .indiqat at points a to enable .water b12811 tobe ciroiu ated for cooling purposes.

The piston members-B Barelfipmly-sccured to the peripheral portions of. thedisks B B as bysneans of screws-and lugsib. Each of said members is hollowand of-suitable curved "form to move :in theannular chamber in which it is confined. Each of said members is-eqnipped at its front end with-a spring-held inwardly opening valve b and each member has at the. rear portion of its lower orinner concave .wall..an outlet passage b, which registers, in one positionof "the piston member, with-.a assage-bi-fol'ined in the adjacent surface of e corresponding annular casing member a. Each ,piston member is providediin -advance of. the valve 'b with an end having perforations b tbnough during the compression stroke. 7 :f'

' Each of the rocking abutments C C canstitutesa portion of a cylinder, aportion of the cylinder bein cutawayat, the. line;c,.eo that .when the a utment is. in. one; position the piston member can pass freely under it. Each rocking abutment is equipped with a stub-shaft c with which the corresponding one of the actuating rods C C is connected.

Each of the admission valves D D comprises a valve-casing (1 formed with a pipe d communicating with the corresponding annular chamber of the engine and controlled by a check-valve (1 a vertically movable p unger d equipped with valves (1 (1 an oil.- admission pipe (1 connected with the upper portion of the casing; and an airadmission pipe (1 communicating with the upper portion of the casing. The casing is formed with a central chamber (i with which the pipe d communicates, and this chamber is separated from upper and lower chambers 11 (Z by valve seats 11 (1" respectively. The valve (1 is located beneath the valve seat (1 and the valve (1 is located above the seat (1. When either valve is fully open the other is closed. As shown in Figs. 1 and 7, the pipe (2 communicates, through a passage (Z with a chamber d formedin the upper end of the casing and into which the upper end of the plunger d extends. From the upper portion of the chamber (1 leads a passa e d which communicates with the cham erd adjacent to the point of connection with the pipe 11. communication with the atmosphere through assages al The plungers d are actuated by slides (1 arranged in suitable guides and actuated by the cams D D. It will now be understood that when the plunger (1 is depressed, as shown in Fig. 5, air may be drawn into the cylinder of the engine through the passages (1 the oil in the meantime being allowed to collect in the chamber d; and when the plunger d is raised the admission through the passages d is checked and air drawn in through the pipe d, a mixture being formed with the oil which is sprayed from the passage (1 by the rising plun er. At each revolution of the piston, a c arge of explosive mixture or a char e of air is drawn into the cylinder past the c eck-valve (1 de ending upon the position of the valves d I Each of the exhaust valves E E comprises a casing e connected by a pipe e with the corresponding annular cylinder of the engine; and a vertically movable valve e actuated by a slide, or plunger, 6 engaging the appro riate one of. the cams E EN The final discharge is through a ipe e communicating with the valve cham er beneath the valve e". The exhaust valves are timed so that they remain open excepting during the periods when the piston members are compressing the charges of explosive mixture. 7

As shown, the shafts F F are arranged be neath the extremities of'the shaft- B and perpendicular to the shaft B. The construc- The chamber (1 is in tion will be understood without further detailed description. The shafts F F are timed to raise the plungers d of the admission valves once in four revolutions, although, as will be readily understood, the parts may be so timed that said plungers will be raised once in every three revolutions, making the engine a three-cycle engine in stead of a four-cycle engine, if so desired.

The electric circuits (at G may be arranged in any suitable manner. As shown, each comprises a stationary contact member 9 and a movable contact member g, the movable contact members being actuated at proper intervals by the cams D D No special provision for packing between the casing and piston members is shown, but any suitable packing may be employed.

The operation will be readily understood. With the parts timed as shown in the drawings, the engine is a four-cycle double engine providing for compression at one cylinder during the working stroke at the other cylinder. At either cylinder, the cycleof operations is as follows, viz: First, a charge of explosive mixture is drawn in, and air expelled, the cam-actuated admission valve being raised and the exhaust valve open; second, the charge of explosive mixture is compressed and air drawn in in therear of the piston member, the cam-actuated admission valve being lowered and the exhaust valve closed; third, the charge is exploded, the

check-valve at the admission closing, and

cam-actuated air admission valve remaining depressed and the exhaust valve being open. In the operation of compressing the charge, the mixture forces the valve 1) of the hollow piston member open and enters the hollow piston member, the rocking abutment being,- during this operation, in the ib ition shown in Fig. 3 and the exhaust valve being closed. The rocking abutment is actuated at each revolution of the main shaft, rising out of the annular cylinder long enough to permit the piston member moving therein to pass. At the time that the firing takes plaee, the .piston member is in the position shown by full lines in Fig. 3, so that the charge can escape to the rear side ofthe piston member and propel the latter. Some of the burned gas remains in the iston member until the revolution succeeding the explosion, when-it is practically exhausted and mixed with the air which is drawn in during the revolution succeeding the working stroke. The use of the engine as a four-cycle engine, instead of a three-cycle engine, is preferred for the reason that it enables the burned gas in the piston member to be thus disposed of and also enables the cylinder to be properly cooled. ll

preferred, however, the engine may be em-- ployed as a three-cycle engine, as stated above.

Itwill be understood that many changes in details of construction within the spirit of my invention may be made, hence no undue limitation should be understood from the foregoing detailed description.

What I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l In a rotary engine, the combination of a cylinder, a rotary piston-member having a chamber for explosive mixture and a valveless exit passage, and a valve controlling the admission to said chamber, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination ofa cylinder, a rotary piston-member having a chamber for com ressed exploslve nuxture and equipped wit a valve controlling the admission to said chamber said chamber having a valveless exit passage, and admis-.

sion and exhaust valves for the engine, for the purpose set forth.

3. In a rotary engine, the combination of a cylinder, a rotary piston-member having'a valved chamber forexplosive mixture, an exhaust valve, and admission means com prising a spring-held check-valve, a camactuated rod, valves on said rod controlling separate fuel and fuel and air admission passages, for the purpose set forth.

4. In a rotary en ine, the combination of a cylinder, a valved hollow piston-member movable therein, an exhaust valve, a suitably actuated abutment movable into said cylinder, and admission means comprising a passage equipped with a check valve, a valve-casing connected therewith and provided with two valve-seats and havin airadmission passages on opposite sides of said valve-seats, an oil-chamber having a passage opening into the valve-casing adjacent to one air inlet thereof, a plunger projecting into the oil-chamber and serving to eject the oil, and valves on said plunger coacting with said valve-seats, for the purpose set forth.

5. In a rotary engine, the combination of a casing provided with an annular chamber having a. recess in one'wall thereof and an admission port adjacent to said recess, a valved hollow piston-member movable in said annular chamber and provided with an opening registering with said recessduring a part of the movement of the piston-member, a movable abutment adapted to enter the annular chamber, and admission and exhaust controlling means, for the purpose set forth.

6. In a rotary engine, the combination of a rotary shaft equipped with a disk, a valved hollow piston member projecting laterally from the disk near the periphery thereof, a casing having an annular chamber in which said piston-member is movable and which has one of its walls rovided with a recess,

said piston-member aving an opening registering with said-recess 1n one position of the;piston-member,- a movable abutment adapted to enter said annular chamber, and suitably actuated admission and exhaust valves, for the purpose set forth.

7. In a rotary engine, the combination of a casing provided w 1th two adjacent annular chambers, a disk separating said chambers, valved hollow piston-members. attached to and flanking said disk' and separated from each other by an angle, said piston-members being movable in said annular chambers with said disk, movable abutments adapted to enter said annular chambers, and admission and exhaust valves for the annular chambers, for the purpose set forth.

8; In a rotary engine, the combination of a shaft equipped centrally with a disk, valved hollow piston-members attached to and flanking said disk, casing sections in which said shaft is journaled and which flank said disk and are rovided with annular chambers in whic said' piston-members are movable, a pair of movable abutments,

adapted to enter said annular chambers, and suitably actuated admission and exhaust valves, for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination of a casing formed with two annular chambers therein, a disk separating said chambers, a shaft journaled in the casin and having said disk secured thereon, va ved hollow piston members flankin said disk and movable in said annular c iambers, rocking abutments adapted to enter said annular chambers and each having a shaft projecting through one end of the casing, cams on said first-named shaft connected with the shafts of the rocking abut ments, admission and exhaust valves for the annular chambers, and transverse shafts geared to said first-named shaft and serving to actuate said admission and exhaust valves, for the purpose set forth.

10. In a rotary engine, the combination with a cylinder and a rotary piston, of admission means comprising an admission passage equipped wit a check-valve, a casmg having a central chamber in communication with said )assage, and chambers above and below said central chamber and separated therefrom by valve-seats, a fuel-chamber in the upper portion of said chamber and provided with a discharge orifice opening into the u per chamber, a plunger controlling said fiiel-passage, and a air of valves carried by said plunger an located, one above the upper valve-seat and the other 7 below the lower valve-seat, the valves being spaced so that when either valve is closed t ie other is open, for the purpose set forth.

11. In a rotary engine, the combination of a shaft, a pair of disks secured to the central portion of said shaft, a pair of valved hollow piston-members secured to the disks on opposite sides thereof and separated by an angle, a pair of easing sections formed with members and having the en s of sai annular chambers receivin said istond shaft journaled therein and provided with removable top-sections, movable abutments housed in the upger portions of said casing sections, and suita 1y actuated admission and exhaust valves, for the purpose set forth.

12. In a rotary engine, the combination of a casing having an annular chamber provided on its inner or convex wall with a recess, a valved hollow piston-member mov able in said annular chamber and provided at its inner concave wall with an opening registering; with said recess in one position of the piston-member, an admission port adjacent 'to said recess, and suitably actuated admisiionhand exhaust valves, for the purpose set ort FREDERICK H. LATHROP.

I In presence of:

M. S. MACKENZIE, J. H. LANDIS. 

